Providence Flashbacks

When Sister Mary Francis of Assisi retired after 49 years of teaching, William Davis, then Minister of Education, wrote to her.

In the late 1840s the property we know as Heathfield was compiled when three smaller parcels of land, were purchased by Alex Forbes to create a 30 acre lot.

The Motherhouse and its grounds have changed a lot since 1932, but are still very recognizable! These four photographs show how the landscaping in front of the Motherhouse and the Motherhouse itself have changed over the years.

Sr. M. Henry, Sr. M. Juliana, and Sr. Mary Seven Dolors McMahon.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Numerous siblings have entered the Sisters of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul over the years. Religious life was not the right fit for some of these women, but many...

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST The Motherhouse grounds have changed a lot over the years, and yet stayed the same in other ways. These two photographs show how the Motherhouse grounds, from the Main Entrance to Princess Street, have changed over a span of 62 years....

Every year at Christmas, we all enjoy the large outdoor Crib that is on display in front of Providence Motherhouse in Kingston. The Statues were purchased by Sr. Mary Roberta, General Treasurer, in 1961 and she requested that a stable be built to display the statues.

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST St. Vincent de Paul Hospital Brockville was opened in 1887 and five years later, in 1892, the hospital had outgrown its Schofield Hill location and the hospital moved to a former convent at 42 Garden Street. Over time several additions...

Kingston and the Islands riding election debate for 2005 Canadian Federal Election.BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST In light of the recent federal election, let’s take a look at the Sisters of Providence’s history of voting in federal elections. After obtaining...

Sister Mary Raphael is noteworthy on several fronts. She was especially well known for her 42 years of service at Providence Hospital in Moose Jaw and was much beloved by the people of Moose Jaw. She was also the first Sister of Providence of St. Vincent de Paul to reach the age of 100. Sister Mary Raphael was born in 1877 and died at the ripe old age of 102 in 1979. And she is the only Sister of Providence who almost had a lake named after her!

BY VERONICA STIENBURG, ARCHIVIST Those of us who live in cities, take for granted that our water is provided by the city and not by a private corporation. This was not always the case in Kingston. According to the Kingston Pumphouse Museum website, the Kingston Water...